The Monday After: The Supremacy of God Over the Nations {Anita}

We leave church inspired by and filled with Truth, encouragement and passion on Sundays … and somewhere along the course of the day and week, we often lose that Sunday feeling.

The Monday After {the Sunday Sermon} is our attempt to carry the Sunday message into Monday mornings by walking together and sharing how what we’ve heard on Sunday morning is making a difference in our Mondays, our weeks, our lives. Each Monday, a voice from the pews will give personal perspective to the words we soaked in on Sunday. Because of your generosity, lives are being changed by God’s grace, and we’re able to share these stories with you here!

The Monday After Sunday, February 17, 2013: The Supremacy of God Over the Nations

By Anita Everly

So, what’s your scarlet letter?

Maybe we don’t know each other well enough yet for me to ask that of you. Probably true. That’s okay. You don’t need to tell me.

The One who matters most already knows. He loves you anyway–with an everlasting love.

But He does want you to have some straight talk with Him regarding those sins so He can do something for you. Yes, there will be consequences, but there is more.

Where sin exists is the very place where God enters in with His redeeming grace.

I would be quick to dismiss such an unlikely thought were it not written on the pages of our history books throughout the centuries and explained in the God-breathed pages of our Bible. Time and again, individuals and nations alike have sinned against God. Honestly, God’s patience with us foolish people is beyond my understanding.

I would never put up with me.

But He does! And His history with people over the ages should give us hope.

So, back to the question again. What are your sins?

It’s not a fun place to sit, but if we are not willing to give it some thought and confess what they are, not to mention lay them down, what point is there to Christ?

With Lent beginning this week, I’ve had it on my mind. I didn’t grow up observing Lent, but the older I get the more this practice intrigues me. I’ve prayed that in preparation for the cross and Resurrection, God would grow me closer to Him and show me how to love Him more than anything else. Beyond that I asked Him to make clear to me the sins in my life, those selfish desires that stand in the way of me knowing and loving Him more. And He did—again and again.

Then without fail, as I became aware of some sin or personal flaw, God gave me a Bible verse, a devotional, a speaker, a song or a word from a friend that spoke specifically to that issue in my life! I began to get excited about my sins! Not really about my sins, of course, but of the grace and redemption with which I knew God had already covered many of these sins and was in the process of working with me on in other areas. The more I confessed my sins and confronted my failures in making Him Lord of my life, the more He entered right into that area with His grace and unconditional love.

And the words of Pastor Joe ring so true after a week of getting real with the shameful parts of my life: The past is unchangeable by fact, but the future is beautiful with potential because of my Redeemer.

He can consecrate, or make holy, all the messes I’ve made—everyday.

But I have to do my part. I have to surrender and lay it all down at His feet so that He can make something beautiful out of my mess.

Lord, Forgive me.

I’ve sought my will. {He’s shown me His.}

I’ve squandered my time. {He’s given me more for Him.}

I’ve judged. {He’s extended mercy.}

I’ve been anxious. {He’s given peace.}

I’ve listened to lies. {He’s spoken Truth.}

I lay it all down.

This is encountering the Holy and being redeemed by our Sovereign Lord, a God who meets us right in the thick of our deep sins and makes an unlikely and beautiful exchange.

So, what’s your scarlet letter?

“Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow.”

Anita Everly is the wife of David and mom to their three sons. She can be found watching the lives of her men unfold, creating a home, and encouraging other women in life and motherhood. She is striving to live life on purpose because she is crazy in love with the One who is crazy in love with her.